This invention relates to article packaging, and more particularly, to display capture-packaging structure which affords touch access to a packaged article and permits some manipulation of the article, while at the same time essentially capturing the article in place within the article-storage area in the packaging enclosure.
While various kinds of articles, and particularly hand-manipulable articles, may be packaged in accordance with the present invention, a preferred embodiment is illustrated and described herein in conjunction with the packaging of a molded, generally football-shaped, game ball. Three different modifications, or embodiments, of such a ball are shown and described herein in the setting of being display-packaged in accordance with the invention.
The packaging of devices for sale, and particularly the packaging of toy-like devices, plays an important role in purchase appeal. Also playing an important role in such appeal, very often, is the ability of a prospective purchaser, at least in some fashion, to touch, handle and manipulate the article to some degree prior to buying it.
A general object of the present invention, accordingly, is to provide an innovative packaging structure for an article, such as a game ball, which both allows a certain amount of prepurchase touching, handling and manipulation of the ball, while at the same time effectively capturing it against removal and separation from an enclosure which forms part of the packaging structure.
Thus, the packaging structure of the invention operates to retain the packaged article in the appealing setting of its display package, while at the same time permitting a customer the opportunity for handling the article.
Various other features and advantages which are offered and attained by the invention will be come apparent as the description which follows is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.